In a quiet cove a few nautical miles from Trogir, more than fifty statues and a military jet rest on the seabed — a museum you visit with a mask instead of a ticket hall. Here's what you'll actually see, how the boat trip works, and who it suits.
Written by Ante Milic · Last updated July 2026
The museum is a sculpture trail on the sea floor: more than 50 life-size figures, hand-built from eco-friendly ferrocement and lowered into the bay, plus one very unexpected exhibit. The water here is clear, which is what makes it work for snorkellers as well as divers.
The heart of the museum — fourteen sculpted stations with life-size figures, laid out on the seabed at roughly four metres. In clear water this is comfortable snorkelling depth: you float above the scenes and take them in one by one.
An eight-metre statue of Christ stands in deeper water as the trail's final station. You can make it out from the surface when visibility is good, but this one belongs to divers and confident freedivers rather than casual snorkellers.
A Soko Jastreb J-21 — a Yugoslav-era light attack jet — rests on the seabed at around ten metres, restored with eco-friendly methods before it was lowered in. The strangest sight of the day, and the one people talk about on the boat back.
Don't expect to see every piece in detail from the surface. The shallow stations are easy while snorkelling; the Christ statue and the jet sit noticeably deeper. If seeing those up close matters to you, book a trip that includes guided diving or freediving.
Jelinak Bay has no road access, so this is a boat trip by definition — you can't drive to the museum and swim out.
The simplest option: half-day trips run to the bay from Trogir, and there are departures from Split too. Departure points and operators can vary through the season, so check the current timetable, price and sea conditions with the operator before travelling — the official museum site is underwatermuseumcroatia.com.
Private boats and skippered charters can visit by prior arrangement with the museum. If you're weighing up your own boat day, our private boat trips from Trogir page explains what to look for — note that Trogir Insider doesn't currently arrange private boat trips directly.
Trips are weather-dependent: wind and swell affect both the crossing and the underwater visibility that makes the museum worth seeing. Outside the main season, sailings thin out — another reason to confirm with the operator rather than turn up on spec.
The core audience. With a mask, fins and clear water, the shallow stations at around four metres are genuinely rewarding — no training required, just comfortable swimming.
The deeper pieces — the Christ statue and the jet at around ten metres — are where diving pays off. Beginner-friendly guided dives are offered at the site in season.
Confident swimmers of most ages can snorkel the shallow trail. But everything happens from a boat in open water, so judge it honestly by your children's age and swimming ability, not by the brochure.
If you've done the island-hopping circuit, this is the most unusual thing you can do on the water near Trogir — a boat trip with an actual destination, not just another swimming stop.
Both exist, and neither is "the right one" — it depends on how much of your day you want to spend on the water.
A short crossing, a long swim over the statues, and back — the focused option if the museum itself is the draw, and the easiest to fit around a lazy beach afternoon or an evening in the old town.
Some boats pair the museum with the Blue Lagoon or island swimming stops, turning it into a proper day at sea. Good value if you want both — see our Trogir boat tours guide for how the standard trips compare.
On paper, this is the most original half-day on the water near Trogir — a genuine destination rather than another cove, close enough that it doesn't eat your whole day, and doable with nothing more than a mask and decent swimming.
Two things temper that: the best pieces sit deep enough that snorkellers see silhouettes rather than faces, and the whole experience leans on clear, calm water. Pick a settled day, take the earlier boat, and set your expectations as "unusual and quietly impressive" rather than "world wonder".
Basis of this take: the museum's published information and our local knowledge of the bays around Trogir — we haven't snorkelled the trail ourselves yet. We'll update this section with first-hand notes after our next visit.
In Jelinak Bay, a small cove a few nautical miles from Trogir — near Trogir, not in Split. The bay has no road access, so it's reached only by boat: organised half-day trips from Trogir (and Split), or private boats by prior arrangement.
Largely yes. The 14 Stations of the Cross sit at around 4 metres — comfortable snorkelling depth in clear water. The 8-metre Christ statue and the sunken jet lie at around 10 metres: visible from the surface in good conditions, but best appreciated by divers and confident freedivers.
It depends on age and swimming confidence. Confident swimmers can enjoy the shallow trail with a mask, but everything happens from a boat in open water — judge it by your own children, and keep close supervision.
Treat it as a half-day boat trip rather than a full day out — unless you choose a combination tour with the Blue Lagoon or island stops. Check the current timetable, price and sea conditions with the operator before travelling.
Hi, I'm Ante. My family has been connected to Trogir for many years and we've spent countless summers here. This guide shares the places we genuinely recommend, along with honest advice on what is—and isn't—worth your time.